Elk Grove Rural Fire Protection District board to remain same size

Voters in the Elk Grove Rural Fire Protection District have again refused to trim the size of the district's governing board to five members from seven.

According to unofficial results from Tuesday's election, a referendum proposing the change failed by a vote of 200 to 142.

Advocates have been trying for years to get voters to approve a smaller board for the tiny fire district, which covers just one square mile. Voters have consistently rejected the proposal, turning it back in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Supporters say that the board's meetings tend to have a light agenda and attract little attention from the public, and add that it's difficult to find enough interested, knowledgeable trustees to fill all seven positions on the board.

- Chacour Koop